Table Of ContentPERMANENT COURT OF ARBITRATION
OPTIONAL RULES FOR ARBITRATING
DISPUTES BETWEEN TWO STATES
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OPTIONAL ARBITRATION RULES – TWO STATES
CONTENTS
Introduction 43
Section I. Introductory Rules 45
Scope of Application (Article 1) 45
Notice, Calculation of Periods of Time (Article 2) 45
Notice of Arbitration (Article 3) 46
Representation and Assistance (Article 4) 46
Section II. Composition of the Arbitral Tribunal 47
Number of Arbitrators (Article 5) 47
Appointment of Arbitrators (Articles 6 to 8) 47
Challenge of Arbitrators (Articles 9 to 12) 49
Replacement of an Arbitrator (Article 13) 50
Repetition of Hearings in the Event of the Replacement of an Arbitrator
(Article 14) 51
Section III. Arbitral Proceedings 52
General Provisions (Article 15) 52
Place of Arbitration (Article 16) 52
Language (Article 17) 53
Statement of Claim (Article 18) 53
Statement of Defence (Article 19) 54
Amendments to the Claim or Defence (Article 20) 54
Pleas as to the Jurisdiction of the Arbitral Tribunal (Article 21) 54
Further Written Statements (Article 22) 55
Periods of Time (Article 23) 55
Evidence and Hearings (Articles 24 and 25) 55
Interim Measures of Protection (Article 26) 57
Experts (Article 27) 57
Failure to Appear or to Make Submissions (Article 28) 58
Closure of Hearings (Article 29) 58
Waiver of Rules (Article 30) 58
Section IV. The Award 59
Decisions (Article 31) 59
Form and Effect of the Award (Article 32) 59
Applicable Law (Article 33) 59
Settlement or Other Grounds for Termination (Article 34) 60
Interpretation of the Award (Article 35) 60
Correction of the Award (Article 36) 61
Additional Award (Article 37) 61
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PERMANENT COURT OF ARBITRATION – BASIC DOCUMENTS
Costs (Articles 38 to 40) 61
Deposit of Costs (Article 41) 62
Notes to the Text 64
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OPTIONAL ARBITRATION RULES – TWO STATES
INTRODUCTION
These Rules have been elaborated for use in arbitrating disputes arising under treaties
or other agreements between two States; they can be modified for use in connection with
multilateral treaties. The Rules are based on the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules with
changes in order to:
(i) reflect the public international law character of disputes between States, and
diplomatic practice appropriate to such disputes;
(ii) indicate the role of the Secretary-General and the International Bureau of the
Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, and the relation of these Rules
with the 1899 and 1907 Hague Conventions for the Pacific Settlement of
International Disputes; and
(iii) provide freedom for the parties to choose to have an arbitral tribunal of one,
three or five persons.
Experience in arbitrations since 1981 suggests that the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules
provide fair and effective procedures for peaceful resolution of disputes between States
concerning the interpretation, application and performance of treaties and other agree-
ments, although they were originally designed for commercial arbitration.
The Rules are optional and emphasize flexibility and party autonomy. For example:
(i) the Rules, and the services of the Secretary-General and the International
Bureau of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, are available for use by all States,
and are not restricted to disputes in which both States are parties to either The
Hague Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes of 1899
or that of 1907;
(ii) the choice of arbitrators is not limited to persons who are listed as Members of
the Permanent Court of Arbitration;
(iii) States have complete freedom to agree upon any individual or institution as
appointing authority. In order to provide a failsafe mechanism to prevent
frustration of the arbitration, the Rules provide that the Secretary-General will
designate an appointing authority if the parties do not agree upon the authority,
or if the authority they choose does not act.
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A model clause that States may consider inserting in treaties or other agreements to
provide for arbitration of future disputes and a model clause for arbitration of existing
disputes are set forth at pages 231-232.
These Rules are also appropriate for use in connection with multilateral treaties,
provided that appropriate changes are made in the procedures for choosing arbitrators
and sharing costs. Guidelines to assist States in adapting these Rules for use in resolving
disputes that may involve more than two parties are included at page 245.
Explanatory ‘Notes to the Text’ appear at pages 64-65.
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PERMANENT COURT OF ARBITRATION OPTIONAL RULES
FOR ARBITRATING DISPUTES BETWEEN TWO STATES
Effective October 20, 1992
SECTION I. INTRODUCTORY RULES
Scope of Application
Article 1
1. Where the parties to a treaty or other agreement have agreed in writing that disputes
shall be referred to arbitration under the Permanent Court of Arbitration Optional Rules
for Arbitrating Disputes between Two States, then such disputes shall be settled in
accordance with these Rules subject to such modification as the parties may agree in
writing.
2. The International Bureau of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (the ‘International
Bureau’) shall take charge of the archives of the arbitration proceeding. In addition, upon
written request of all the parties or of the arbitral tribunal, the International Bureau shall
act as a channel of communication between the parties and the arbitral tribunal, provide
secretariat services and/or serve as registry.
3. If on the date the arbitration commences either The Hague Convention for the Pacific
Settlement of International Disputes of 1899 or The Hague Convention for the Pacific
Settlement of International Disputes of 1907 is in force between the parties, the
applicable Convention shall remain in force, and the parties, in the exercise of their
rights under the Convention, agree that the procedures set forth in these Rules shall
govern the arbitration as provided for in the parties’ agreement.
Notice, Calculation of Periods of Time
Article 2
1. For the purposes of these Rules, any notice, including a notification, communication
or proposal, is deemed to have been received when it has been delivered to the addressee
through diplomatic channels. Notice shall be deemed to have been received on the day
it is so delivered.
2. For the purposes of calculating a period of time under these Rules, such period shall
begin to run on the day following the day when a notice, notification, communication
or proposal is received. If the last day of such period is an official holiday or a non-work
day in the State of the addressee, the period is extended until the first work day which
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PERMANENT COURT OF ARBITRATION – BASIC DOCUMENTS
follows. Official holidays or non-work days occurring during the running of the period
of time are included in calculating the period.
Notice of Arbitration
Article 3
1. The party initiating recourse to arbitration (hereinafter called the ‘claimant’) shall give
to the other party (hereinafter called the ‘respondent’) a notice of arbitration.
2. Arbitral proceedings shall be deemed to commence on the date on which the notice
of arbitration is received by the respondent.
3. The notice of arbitration shall include the following:
(a) A demand that the dispute be referred to arbitration;
(b) The names and addresses of the parties;
(c) A reference to the arbitration clause or the separate arbitration agreement that
is invoked;
(d) A reference to the treaty or other agreement out of or in relation to which the
dispute arises;
(e) The general nature of the claim and an indication of the amount involved, if any;
(f) The relief or remedy sought;
(g) A proposal as to the number of arbitrators (i.e., one, three or five), if the parties
have not previously agreed thereon.
4. The notice of arbitration may also include the statement of claim referred to in
article 18.
Representation and Assistance
Article 4
Each party shall appoint an agent. The parties may also be assisted by persons of their
choice. The name and address of the agent must be communicated in writing to the other
party, to the International Bureau and to the arbitral tribunal after it has been appointed.
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OPTIONAL ARBITRATION RULES – TWO STATES
SECTION II. COMPOSITION OF THE ARBITRAL TRIBUNAL
Number of Arbitrators
Article 5
If the parties have not previously agreed on the number of arbitrators (i.e., one, three,
or five), and if within thirty days after the receipt by the respondent of the notice of
arbitration the parties have not agreed on the number of arbitrators, three arbitrators shall
be appointed.
Appointment of Arbitrators (Articles 6 to 8)
Article 6
1. If a sole arbitrator is to be appointed, either party may propose to the other:
(a) The names of one or more persons, one of whom would serve as the sole
arbitrator; and
(b) If no appointing authority has been agreed upon by the parties, the name or
names of one or more institutions or persons, one of whom would serve as
appointing authority.
2. If within sixty days after receipt by a party of a proposal made in accordance with
paragraph 1 the parties have not reached agreement on the choice of a sole arbitrator, the
sole arbitrator shall be appointed by the appointing authority agreed upon by the parties.
If no appointing authority has been agreed upon by the parties, or if the appointing
authority agreed upon refuses to act or fails to appoint the arbitrator within sixty days of
the receipt of a party’s request therefor, either party may request the Secretary-General
of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague (the ‘Secretary-General’) to
designate an appointing authority.
3. The appointing authority shall, at the request of one of the parties, appoint the sole
arbitrator as promptly as possible. In making the appointment the appointing authority
shall use the following list-procedure, unless both parties agree that the list-procedure
should not be used or unless the appointing authority determines in its discretion that the
use of the list-procedure is not appropriate for the case:
(a) At the request of one of the parties the appointing authority shall communicate
to both parties an identical list containing at least three names;
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(b) Within thirty days after the receipt of this list, each party may return the list to
the appointing authority after having deleted the name or names to which it
objects and numbered the remaining names on the list in the order of its
preference;
(c) After the expiration of the above period of time the appointing authority shall
appoint the sole arbitrator from among the names approved on the lists returned
to it and in accordance with the order of preference indicated by the parties;
(d) If for any reason the appointment cannot be made according to this procedure,
the appointing authority may exercise its discretion in appointing the sole
arbitrator.
4. In making the appointment, the appointing authority shall have regard to such
considerations as are likely to secure the appointment of an independent and impartial
arbitrator and shall take into account as well the advisability of appointing an arbitrator
of a nationality other than the nationalities of the parties.
Article 7
1. If three arbitrators are to be appointed, each party shall appoint one arbitrator. The two
arbitrators thus appointed shall choose the third arbitrator who will act as the presiding
arbitrator of the tribunal. If five arbitrators are to be appointed, the two party-appointed
arbitrators shall choose the remaining three arbitrators and designate one of those three
as the presiding arbitrator of the tribunal.
2. If within thirty days after the receipt of a party’s notification of the appointment of an
arbitrator the other party has not notified the first party of the arbitrator it has appointed:
(a) The first party may request the appointing authority previously designated by
the parties to appoint the second arbitrator; or
(b) If no such authority has been previously designated by the parties, or if the
appointing authority previously designated refuses to act or fails to appoint the
arbitrator within sixty days after receipt of a party’s request therefor, the first
party may request the Secretary-General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration
at The Hague to designate the appointing authority. The first party may then
request the appointing authority so designated to appoint the second arbitrator.
In either case, the appointing authority may exercise its discretion in appointing
the arbitrator.
3. If within sixty days after the appointment of the second arbitrator the two arbitrators
have not agreed on the choice of the remaining arbitrators and/or presiding arbitrator, the
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Description:or other agreements between two States; they can be modified for use in for
Arbitrating Disputes between Two States, then such disputes shall be settled in.
